Colchicine is a pseudo-alkaloid widely used for treatment of gout and is used only for short-term therapeutic treatment due to its toxicity. However, colchicine has been reported to exhibit a very fast and specific therapeutic effect on gout, as described in the Alkaloids, 1991, vol. 41, 125–176, U.S. Pat. No. 4,533,675, and so on.
During cell division, colchicine inhibits formation of mitotic spindle, thereby suppresses cell division, leading to activation of anticancer and anti-proliferous effects. Also, continuous research into colchicine applications has been carried out and a variety of colchicine derivatives have been synthesized up to now, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,222,253, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 00/608073A, WO 91/02084, and so on. Among them, only demecolcine has been used for treatment of leukemia.
There is also a report that colchicine can be used for treatment of psoriasis or rheumatoid arthritis and has an amyloidosis inhibitory effect and an anti-inflammatory effect (Arch. Dermatol. 1982, Vol. 118, Jul., pp 453–457). Also, thiocolchicoside, which is one of colchicine derivatives, is widely used for treatment of skeletal muscle contracture and inflammation.